


Growing Pains

by Lady_Faulkner



Series: Kylux Plus One [11]
Category: Dredd (2012), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Comfort/Angst, Gen, Genetic Disorders & Abnormalities, Hospitals, Insecurity, Light Angst, Medical Conditions, Menstruation, Puberty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 17:45:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17729831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Faulkner/pseuds/Lady_Faulkner
Summary: BB-9T wakes Kylo and Hux late in the night; Padmé has started aging again and is in agonizing pain.





	Growing Pains

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back! Life and writer's block hit me hard until recently but here's a new chapter. I'm going to be very slow at turning out content for a while, but I promise I'm not abandoning this series.

Kylo loved their new bed. With the curtains drawn, the universe shrank until all that existed was he and Hux. He nuzzled his nose against the grand marshal’s neck and adjusted his arms around Hux’s body. 

“Mine,” he mumbled.

Hux rolled over, so they were facing each other, and kissed Kylo’s mouth. 

“Yours,” he agreed.

Kylo enthusiastically returned the kiss and pulled Hux on top of him. With a smile, Hux rolled his hips into Kylo’s and heavy moans escaped their lips between kisses. 

“Hux,” Kylo gasped. “I want you.” 

Hux smiled against Kylo’s mouth, “Do you now?”

“Yes,” Kylo begged.

Hux brushed his lips down to Kylo’s broad chest and placed a string of kisses down the smooth skin. 

“Oh, Hux,” Kylo sighed. 

Hux had just reached the waistband of Kylo’s sleep pants when the door to their room opened and a series of urgent whistles demanded their attention. Kylo huffed and opened the curtains with the Force. BB-9T was rolling around nervously and chattering rapidly up at them. 

“I can’t understand you,” Kylo informed the BB-unit while Hux rolled off him. 

The droid stopped rolling and slowly repeated itself. 

Kylo and Hux’s eyes widened and they threw back the covers. Hux went to retrieve his blue silk robe, while Kylo half-ran out of the room, barefoot and shirtless with his sleep pants riding low on his hips. 

“Ren!” Hux shouted after him.

“Contact med bay!” Kylo called back. 

Hux nodded and retrieved his comlink as he bustled after Kylo and BB-9T. 

_ “She never gets sick,”  _ Kylo thought to himself as he raced to his daughter’s room.  _ “Never.” _

He waved his hand to override the door lock and mindlessly made his way to Padmé’s room. Her agony was palpable; radiating throughout the Force and promising to burn Kylo with its intensity as he stood outside her door. A warm hand rested on Kylo’s shoulder and he turned to Hux. They exchanged a nervous look and Kylo opened the door. 

“Lights, thirty percent,” Hux ordered. 

The lights turned up causing Kylo and Hux’s hearts slow in their chests. Padmé had kicked off her blankets and lay in the middle of the mattress, curled up in the fetal position. She was drenched in sweat and her entire body was trembling as if she was cold. But that was not why her parents were concerned. With a single look, they knew exactly what was wrong with her. Padmé was aging again.  

In the two hours since she’d gone to bed, Padmé had grown four inches and gained fifteen pounds; her sleepwear was painfully tight which made her small, soft breasts even more obvious. Her thighs contracted involuntarily and a few drops of blood stained the crotch of her sleep pants.

“Padmé,” Kylo breathed, slowly approaching her. 

She winced and curled into a tighter ball, shaking her head. “M-make it stop,” she wept. “It hurts.” 

“Shhh,” Kylo whispered, stroking her hair, which had also grown several inches. 

Hux removed his robe and wrapped it around her. “We’re here now,” he added. “Everything’s going to be all right.” 

“It hurts...it hurts...it hurts…” Padmé whimpered. 

“Stop that,” Hux said sternly. “That’s enough of that.” 

Padmé nodded and Kylo gently scooped her up in his arms. She was heavier than he’d expected but he pushed the thought out of his head as he exited her room with Hux at his heels.

“Everything is going to be okay, little one,” Kylo assured her, holding her close to his chest.

Padmé turned her head and cried into his shoulder. 

“Shh,” Kylo whispered to Padmé. “It’s okay. Daddy’s got you. It’s going to be okay.” 

Hux nervously glanced at Kylo and Kylo became aware of how nervous they both were. 

“It’s going to be okay,” Kylo repeated, for himself and Hux as much as for Padmé. 

Hux pressed the button for the lift. 

“I...I thought they were normal growing pains,” Padmé confessed. 

Kylo blinked back tears as the doors to the lift opened. They stepped inside and rode down in silence. 

The medical staff greeted them and Kylo was instructed to place Padmé on one of the private examination tables at the back of the med bay. 

“It’s going to be okay now,” Kylo promised her, kissing her forehead. 

“Supreme Leader, Grand Marshal, I’m going to have to ask you to step out,” one of the nurses said.

“No!” Padmé protested.

“We’re not leaving her,” Kylo retorted. 

“With all due respect, Supreme Leader, I must insist that you leave. Your presence is distressing the patient,” the nurse replied. 

Kylo sighed and kissed his daughter’s forehead. “They’re going to take good care of you,” he whispered.

“What are you going to do?” Padmé inquired.

“Papa and I are going to get to the bottom of this,” Kylo swore to her. 

Padmé nodded and Kylo slowly left her side. 

Amongst the confusion, Hux had managed to procure a datapad and was typing away and muttering furiously when Kylo joined him. 

“Four years, five months, which means she should have been - hello, my dear -” Hux said as Kylo joined him, “fourteen and a half, which means...kriff.” Hux glanced over his shoulder at Kylo. “Her body is trying to compensate for a year and five months of scheduled growth all at once.” 

“Kriff,” Kylo agreed. “We need to contact Sator.” 

Hux nodded, “Already did, just waiting for them to respond.” 

Kylo wrapped his arms around Hux’s waist and rested his head on Hux’s shoulder. 

“Ren,” Hux cautioned.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, not moving.

“Kylo, my dear,” Hux mused, “please, compose yourself. Our daughter’s life is at risk.” 

Kylo pressed a kiss to Hux’s cheek. “We should get dressed before-”

“-No time!” Hux cut in. “They just responded and we’re taking their call now.” 

“Fine, I guess those Satorians will get to appreciate my chest as much as you do,” Kylo countered. 

Hux turned to him, their eyes locked. 

“Thought not,” Kylo smiled, lightly kissing Hux’s lips. “Let’s get dressed, then we’ll take their call.” 

Fifteen minutes later, Kylo and Hux were back in the med bay, dressed and primed to take the Satorian’s call. 

“Supreme Leader Ren, Grand Marshal Hux,” Dr. Trond said sorrowfully when the call connected and a blue hologram appeared in the med bay. “What is KH-201’s condition?” 

“Padmé is stable, for the moment,” Hux reported, checking a datapad one of the nurses had given him. “She’s been sedated and put on high doses of pain medication. Our medical staff has also put her on an IV, so she is being given fluids, vitamins, and proteins.” 

“So, KH-201 is stable for the moment?” Dr. Trond prompted.

“ _ Padmé _ is stable for the time being, yes,” Hux returned, glaring up at her from his datapad. 

Dr. Trond gave him an annoyed look.

“Do you know what caused this?” Kylo chimed in. 

Dr. Trond sighed, “I’m afraid I can only theorize at the moment, Supreme Leader. I will require blood, tissue, and marrow samples to fully determine what caused this sudden failure of the serum. Or if this is indeed a sudden failure.” 

“What do you mean?” Hux inquired. 

“KH-201 disappeared before I could administer any diagnostic tests,” Dr. Trond reminded them. “While the serum evidently did take, its effects have either been slowly deteriorating or have only recently failed. Has she complained of any aches or pains? Or did the pain sudden?” 

Kylo and Hux both thought back and a thought bubbled to the surface of Kylo’s mind. 

“Could she have mistaken them for normal growing pains?” he inquired.

Dr. Trond nodded and made a note of Kylo’s question.  

“What do you suggest, doctor?” Hux stepped in.

“Not much can be done at the moment,” Dr. Trong sighed. “I’m hesitant to administer any new serums until KH-201’s condition has stabilized. Until then, her entire body will be working overtime to compensate for the suppressant effects of the serum. Another serum could potentially stabilize these effects, but it could also aggravate them.”

“So, you want us to stand by and just let her suffer?” Kylo demanded. 

Dr. Trond frowned at him. “Your staff is equipped with painkillers, I presume?”

“Yes, but-” Kylo protested. 

“Then make her comfortable until she’s stable,” Dr. Trond snapped. “In the meantime, I would appreciate the samples I asked for.” 

“You’ll get your samples,” Hux sneered before ending the call. 

Kylo growled, “That was more than unhelpful.” 

“What more could she do?” Hux inquired softly. “Dr. Trond is half-way across the galaxy and from the sound of it, this is an isolated incident. She needs more information if we want our next step to be effective.” 

“I know,” Kylo admitted. “I just wish she could have recommended something more than just; carry on with what you’re already doing. Especially since we can’t keep her on painkillers for too long without the risk of addiction.” 

Hux nodded and wrapped an arm around Kylo’s waist. “I know,” he whispered. “I know.”

Kylo wrapped his arms around Hux and they stood in silence for a few minutes before walking to their daughter’s bedside. 

Padmé was still asleep but looked more relaxed. The medical staff had given her a fresh set of sleep ware which looked like it would comfortably fit Kylo, and made Padmé look childlike. 

“You shouldn’t have to bear this pain,” Kylo whispered, taking Padmé’s hand in his. 

Hux pulled up two chairs for them and they sat down. “She looks even more like you when she’s asleep,” he whispered. 

“A bit,” Kylo nodded, “it’s mainly the hair. In terms of features, she’s mostly you.” 

Hux smiled and looked at Padmé’s sleeping face. “Can you believe that she should be four?”

“Not at all,” Kylo said, shaking his head. “I’m glad we’re past that stage.” 

“I pity your parents if you were anything like her,” Hux teased. 

Kylo chuckled, “I’m sure I was worse.” 

“Worse than getting lost on an unfamiliar planet?” Hux challenged, recalling Padmé’s misadventure on Arkanis. 

“I ruined a dinner party by destroying half the dinnerware during a tantrum because I didn’t want to go to bed,” Kylo countered. 

Hux smiled, “Why am I not surprised?” 

“I was a terror,” Kylo agreed. 

“You would not have survived my childhood then,” Hux commented. 

Kylo gently took Hux’s hand with his free hand. “I would have been a very different person,” he whispered. 

Hux nodded then looked at Padmé. “I hope we’ve done better with her.” 

“Me too,” Kylo admitted, “although, your father set the bar very low.” 

Hux smirked, “That he did.” 

They sat by Padmé’s bedside for hours and at some point, they fell asleep against each other’s shoulder. 

At some point, Padmé woke up long enough from her painkiller induced fog to register that her parents were sitting beside her and clumsily levitate a blanket on top of them before falling back asleep. 

Kylo woke up a few hours later and kissed Hux’s forehead before slowly getting up and grabbing two cups of coffee for them. 

Hux was awake by the time he got back and groggily accepted the warm liquid before trying to check his inbox on the borrowed datapad.

“I’m going to get mine,” he mumbled after a few failed attempts. “Do you need anything?” 

Kylo shook his head and Hux kissed the top of his head. 

“Be back soon,” he whispered. 

Kylo nodded and turned his attention back to their daughter. “Hey, little one,” he whispered, taking her hand. “Papa and I are so proud of our little fighter and we’re going to do everything we can to help you.” 

A few minutes later, Padmé stirred and lazily met Kylo’s eyes. “Hey, dad,” she said groggily.

“Hey, little one,” Kylo smiled, squeezing her hand. “How are you feeling?” 

“Like I did a full body workout,” she mumbled. 

Kylo nodded before getting her a cup of water. 

“Any idea how long this is going to last?” Padmé inquired. 

Kylo hesitated and was saved from responding by Hux’s return with Millicent in his arms. 

“I thought you could use a companion,” Hux smiled, setting the ginger cat on the bed.

“Hey, Millie,” Padmé smiled. 

Millicent padded to her and rubbed her head against Padmé’s hand before curling up on her lap and purring contently. 

“Thank you, papa,” Padmé said. 

“You’re welcome,” Hux nodded, sitting back down with his datapad. “We’ve got a full day,” he said to Kylo.

Kylo stared at him, “What?” 

Hux compressed his lips into a line. 

“Get back to work,” Padmé encouraged. “I’m not going anywhere. And, I’ve got Millie to keep me company.” 

“You’re sure?” Kylo pressed. 

“Go,” Padmé insisted. 

He sighed and kissed her forehead. “Be back soon,” he promised. 

“Love you,” Hux added.

“Love you too,” Padmé smiled. 

She watched them go before dropping her head against the pillow. Tears of frustration blurred her vision and she tried to keep her sobs quiet so the medical staff wouldn’t swarm her. 

For the past six months, she’d been a normal thirteen-year-old. She’s fought with her parents about what was appropriate to wear, worn too much makeup, listened to her music too loud, and swooned over holo-singers and -bands. When the pain had started, she’d thought it just the normal growing pains of a teenage growth spurt. She’d hoped that was all they were. Maybe she’d known all along that the serum was failing but had ignored all the evidence in favor of believing that her life wasn’t about to be torn apart again by the abnormality of the Satorian’s genetic design. 

A nurse checked in on her as her tears dried up and Padmé looked away in shame. 

“I saw nothing,” the nurse promised. “I just need to check your vitals, then I’ll be out of your hair.” 

Padmé nodded and passively let the nurse do her job. 

“On a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst, can you rate your pain for me?” the nurse inquired. 

Padmé wanted to say twenty out of spite but took a moment to think about the nurse’s question. Her entire body ached and she felt like a stretched out rubber band that was still being pulled on,  _ but _ , she asked herself,  _ could she handle more?  _

“An eight,” she decided.

The nurse nodded and made a note of her reply. “Let me know if that number goes up.” 

Padmé nodded and the nurse left her alone. 

An hour later, a different nurse brought her breakfast. The selection consisted of soft foods, which Padmé presumed had been selected so she wouldn’t have to chew. As if that would cause her more pain. However, when she began to eat, Padmé changed her mind. Her jaw hurt more than she’d thought it did and she softly thanked the nurse for her consideration. 

After the nurse left, Padmé lay in her bed, absentmindedly petting Millicent. 

A while later, yet another nurse told her that she had a visitor before showing in an anxious Techie. 

When he saw her, his visibly relaxed and Padmé spread her arms for a hug. Techie cautiously wrapped his arms around her while she firmly embraced him.

“I’m not going to break if you hug me,” she assured him. 

Techie nodded and sat down, “I didn’t want to cause you any more pain.”

Padmé sighed and shrugged. “It’s all relative at this point.” 

Techie shook his head at her, “You sound like Armie.” 

“I’ll be fine,” Padmé assured him. “Promise.” 

Millicent hopped from the bed into Techie’s lap. “Hey, Millie,” he cooed, rubbing her chin. 

“Traitor,” Padmé playfully muttered. 

Techie held the ginger cat close to his chest, “Never!” 

Padmé laughed then winced in pain. 

Techie’s face paled and he held Millicent closer. 

“Uncle Techie, I’m used to this sort of pain,” Padmé tried to assure him. “It's just a little more intense this time. That's all; I’ll be back to normal in a few days, I’m sure.” 

Techie nodded but Padmé could sense how uncomfortable he was. Hours ago, she'd been a moody thirteen-year-old. Now, she was suddenly fourteen and going through puberty. She was beginning to look more like a woman than a child and the process was only going to continue for the foreseeable future. 

Techie sighed and nodded again. 

_ “Techie was…well, he got sick more easily than most as a child. There were many times when the doctors feared the worst,” _ Padmé recalled Hux saying. 

“Sorry,” she whispered. “I...I’m just trying not to…. Dad and Papa are worried enough as is and I’m trying not to make things harder for them.” 

“I know exactly how you feel,” Techie confided. “I tried to do the same; put on a brave face and pretend I wasn't miserable or didn't want to scream because all I could do was lie there. I thought that's what she - my mother - wanted; to see me being brave. But I hated feeling like I had to pretend all the time.” 

“No one wants to see that,” Padmé muttered. “They just want to see you fight because it helps them believe that you're going to get better. And when you crack, so does their illusion.” 

Techie nodded and took Padmé’s hand in his. Their eyes met and Padmé began to cry. 

“Everything kriffing hurts!” she wept. “And I hate it! I  _ hate _ it.  _ I hate it! _ I hate my own body and...I just  _ want to be normal _ . But  _ apparently, _ that’s too much to ask!” 

Techie squeezed her hand as hard as he could and she did the same until their hands hurt. 

“We both know pain,” Techie whispered, leaning forward to kiss his niece’s forehead. “We both know hell.” 

Padmé embraced Techie and cried into his shoulder. He sat on the edge of her bed and rubbed her back as she cried. 

“What in...sir! I'm going to have to ask you to leave!” a nurse’s voice demanded. 

Padmé holds onto her uncle, “He can stay.”

“Miss, he needs to leave,” the nurse quietly insisted. 

Padmé looked up with tear stained eyes and raised her hand to choke the nurse. “He. Stays.” 

The nurse nodded and was instantly released. 

“I can't stay for too much longer,” Techie confided once Padmé had calmed down. 

She nodded and sniffed, “I understand.” 

“But, I’ll come back later,” Techie promised. 

Padmé nodded at him and he kissed her forehead once more before leaving. 

She was left alone with Millicent for a long time. About an hour in, Padmé took a nap out of boredom, then started levitating random objects for Millicent to bat her paws at. After a while, both of them took a short nap. 

They had been awake for about ten minutes when Hux, Kylo, Phasma, and Techie all came to visit with their evening meals. Padmé was given hers by the nurse and they all ate together. 

“You’re swimming in that shirt,” Phasma commented to Padmé as they ate. 

Padmé gave her a sad smile, “I’m afraid I’ve outgrown everything else.” 

“Well, we’re stopping for supplies in a few days,” Phasma reminded her. 

Techie looked up with interest. “Could...could I come along?” 

“Why not?” Phasma smiled. “Padmé?” 

She shrugged, “Sure.” 

 

********

 

As the days passed, the rate of Padmé’s aging began to slow to a more manageable rate. The pain persisted, but by the third day, she was able to be moved back into her own room, accompanied by an IV. The familiar surroundings were a comfort to her, but at the same time, she was becoming more and more aware that the room was no longer entirely hers. It was the room of a girl who dreamed of a galaxy full of stars. The young woman who was now inhabiting was becoming someone new. 

The day Padmé was moved back was also the day she felt strong enough to get up and bathe. She rested her butt against the sink counter and took a breath before removing the oversized shirt. The body that carried out the motion was foreign to her and once she was naked, she walked to the small alcove that housed a full-length mirror. The young woman who stared back at her was recognizable as Padmé Regina Hux, but she was also a stranger. 

This new Padmé wasn’t all arms and legs, no, she had hips and thighs and curves. Her belly was soft and Padmé self-consciously wrapped her arms around her stomach. However, this was soon abandoned to examine her breasts. Her hands timidly weighed them before they dropped to her side in embarrassment. She could only glance at her pubic hair before she half-ran away from the mirror in favor of showering. 

As she bathed, Padmé became aware of the hair under her arms and on her legs, which only added to her self-conscious state. The hair on her head was also proving to be problematic. It was much longer than what she was used to and took longer to wash and the weight of it hurt her head as she stepped out to dry off. 

Phasma had lent Padmé some of her shirts and sweat pants to wear until they could go shopping. They were still baggy, but fit Padmé’s frame much better than the clothes she’d been given in med bay. 

Padmé slowly made her way back to bed and pulled up a book on her datapad. She was two chapters in when Phasma came to check on her. Padmé was wrapped up in a blanket and hating her wet hair for making her cold. 

“That’s why I keep mine short,” Phasma chuckled. “It will also get tangled if you leave it like that.” 

Padmé groaned and called her hairbrush to her hand with the Force before offering it to Phasma. The captain shakes her head. “You’ll need to call Techie or your dad for that.” 

“Dad I can see, but Techie?” Padmé smirked.

“He has longer hair than I do and knows how to take care of it,” Phasma replied.

Padmé shrugged, “True.” She then began attacking her hair with the brush. 

“You’re going to tear it all out,” Phasma muttered. 

Padmé pouted. “I hate it being this long. It’s so heavy!” 

“We can get it cut when we buy your new clothes,” Phasma offered. 

“Really?” Padmé exclaimed. 

Phasma shrugged, “Why not?” 

“Thank you,” Padmé smiled. 

 

********

 

Four days later, Padmé stands in a small dressing room with an armful of clothes sitting beside her. Her hair is in two long braids and she’s gotten more accustomed to seeing her new body. She takes a breath then pulls on a pair of black pants. They hug her legs and zip perfectly. The flowing blouse she picks is the same shade as her eyes and she can’t help but smile at her own reflection before she steps out to show Techie and Phasma. 

“It looks nice,” Phasma nodded. 

Padmé stepped in front of the mirror and examined her new look. She caught Techie’s eye in the reflection and he gave her a warm smile of approval. She smiled back and returned to the dressing room to try on another outfit. 

When she came out in a different shirt, Techie was standing to the side holding a flowing dark blue dress with a nervous expression on his face. Padmé smiled at him and took the dress from him. She took off the shirt and slipped the dress on, with the black pants underneath. 

The dress was simple and flowy but Padmé loved it and slipped on a pair of boots which tied the outfit together. She beamed at her reflection and went out to show Techie. He smiled and Phasma nodded in approval.

Padmé picked out a few more outfits and Phasma found the same pieces in multiple sizes before they left the store. Padmé wore the blue dress, black pants, and boots out of the store and over to get her hair cut. 

“How much do you want off?” the stylist inquired. 

Padmé nervously pulled at the braids. “Um….to my shoulders?” 

The stylist nodded and set to work cutting several inches off Padmé’s hair. 

With her short hair and new clothes, Padmé returned to the  _ Finalizer _ with renewed confidence. 

“Thank you for taking her out today,” Kylo said to Phasma and Techie as Padmé went to put away her clothes. “She really needed it.”


End file.
